he government has ruled out withdrawal of the camel fleet from the Border Security Force, BSF. Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today that BSF's camel fleet has proved effective in border patrolling in the Rann of Kutch and the desert areas of the border belt in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The number of camels in BSF is 1276 and each one of them has been provided with handlers for patrolling the Western border, he said.

Borders Security Force, BSF and Pakistan Rangers have resolved to enhance mutual confidence and understanding in order to establish a peaceful and tranquil border. During the Bi - annual meeting of the two border guarding forces, a host of issues of mutual interest were discussed and an agreement was signed between BSF and Pakistan Rangers. Talking to media persons, BSF Director General U K Bansal said that both the sides have agreed to hand over and take over border crossers with least possible delay. He said adequate measures will be taken to prevent violations of border by their respective citizens. Mr Bansal said that both the sides have very fruitful discussion and meeting was concluded in a most cordial atmosphere.

Mr Bansal said both the forces also agreed to step up their border dominations(social control by dominating) to prevent smuggling . They also agreed to prevent cross border firing. BSF also agreed to pursue the issues of early release and repatriation of Pakistani fishermen.
The agreement was signed between Mr. Bansal and Director General of Pakistan Rangers, Major General Rizwan Akhtar.
Next Bi annual meeting of the border forces will be held next year in Lahore.

A five-day bi-annual meeting between the Border Security Force, BSF, and Pakistan Rangers(a member of a military unit trained as shock troops for hit-and-run raids), has commenced in New Delhi to sort out border related issues. The 18-member delegation led by Pakistan Rangers Director General (Sindh) Major General Rizwan Akhtar, was received by Border Security Force Chief U K Bansal and other senior officials. According to an official release, the issues which are expected to be discussed during the meeting include unprovoked firing in Jammu and Sialkot Sector and the death of a BSF personnel due to sniper firing, smuggling of Heroin, arms and ammunitions and illegal crossing of Pakistani Nationals to Indian Territory and return of inadvertent border crossers. The issue of apprehension of fishermen and seizure of fishing boats in Gujarat is also likely to be figured during the talks. India may also raise the issue of defence construction close to International Border.
The biannual event which earlier used to take place at Amritsar, Chandigarh and Jalandhar, is taking place in New Delhi for the first time.

Centre's interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir have favoured setting up a Constitutional Committee to review all Central Acts and Articles of the Constitution of India to the state extended after 1952.The report of the interlocutors Dileep Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and M M Ansari, which was made public today, ruled out a return to the pre-1953 position.

The report, which was handed over to Home Minister P. Chidambaram on October 12 last year, also favoured resumption of the dialogue process between the Centre and Hurriyat Conference at the earliest.On Centre -state relation, the report calls for review of all Central Acts and Articles of the Constitution of India extended to the state after 1952 Delhi agreement.

The report also says that no more central laws and Articles of the Constitution should be extended to the state by Presidential order.It also suggested that Parliament will make no laws applicable to the state unless it relates country's internal and external security and its vital economic interests, especially in the areas of energy and access to water resources.
It also said the state assembly will submit three names to the President to the post of Governor who will be appointed by the President.It also suggested that there should be no change in Article 356 and if the state government is dismissed, elections should be held within three months.

The report recommended that for promotion of the state's economic self-reliance, a fresh financial agreement between the Centre and the state is required.The report also listed several recommendations to
harmonise relations between people on both the sides of Line of Control including a hassle-free movement of people and goods across the LoC and a consultative mechanism where elected representatives from both sides can deliberate on issues of common interests like water, economy, tourism and trade.

Minister of State for Defence, M M Pallam Raju says, China posed no threat to India despite border dispute, but the country is equipping itself well and having a strong deterrence so that no adversary took it for granted. Mr. Raju was responding to a question from reporters in Chennai. He said, India has a very healthy economic partnership with China but admitted that there are differences in the perception of the border issue, which are being trashed out at high level meetings of National Security Advisors of the two countries. He made the remark after commissioning Indian Coast Guard ship Rajtarang in Chennai. 

On recurring attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, Mr.Raju said India had taken up the issue with Colombo at diplomatic level.